Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Ghostbusters trailer is out!!

32 replies

BeyondTellsEveryoneRealFacts · 03/03/2016 14:44

www.facebook.com/Ghostbusters/videos/967382456649089/

Reckon it'll pass the bechdel test?

OP posts:

Original poster

BeyondTellsEveryoneRealFacts · 04/03/2016 10:39

Bumps own post with article about the rather dodgy race characterisation (3 white scientists and 1 black woman with "street smarts")

www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/ghostbusters-leslie-jones-character-criticised-for-a6909681.html

"Nice to see that in 30 years, the number of black people in a ghostbusters film has gone from 1 to 1"

Apart from this (and the bechdel test), i'd like to talk about the criticism in changing the protagonists to female. It's depressing :(

OP posts:

GreenTomatoJam · 04/03/2016 11:09

I did think that myself.. would it really have killed them to shake up the racial makeup a touch.

I wonder if it's because they already knew that they'd be hearing nothing but criticism for the all female cast, that they tried to keep the rest the same - but then, my stubbornness would have said that they should just go for it and really shake it up.

Hovis2001 · 04/03/2016 18:23

I think the trailer passes the Bechdel test.

That said, I was a bit by it all, especially the point the article you post picks up on.

But, yes, the reaction to the all-female main cast was very depressing. I had a friend complaining on Facebook that it would utterly ruin Ghostbuster's to have an all-female remake. Why? What about the story makes it absolutely inherent to have an all-male cast? If anything, having a same-sex group of protagonists makes it more like the original than throwing in a token (and inevitably sexualised / romanticised) female would.

PalmerViolet · 04/03/2016 18:28

Maybe the power packs only work properly is you insert a dick into them? Who knows.

The original film was a classic of it's genre. I fully expect this one to be as well.

PalmerViolet · 04/03/2016 18:31

(plus, this looks funny as fuck)

thatstoast · 04/03/2016 18:34

Placemarking for later as don't have time to read atm. My main thought is they all seem too competent.

Figgygal · 04/03/2016 18:38

Ghostbusters being one of my favourite films I was very underwhelmed by the trailer the ghosts looked too cgi and yup street smarts less educated black character was just disappointing.

I'll still see it though obviously

HemlockSolanum · 04/03/2016 18:41

I actually am looking forward to it, though I do agree with the criticisms. It seems a shame to push boundaries so hard in one way, but then not both at all when it comes to race.

However I am pleased to see two plus size women as main characters, makes a nice change.

I suspect it's going to be a film with a lot of flaws, but at the same time I want to support it just because if it flops you know the flop will be blamed on the female cast not the racist characterisation.

BonitaFangita · 04/03/2016 18:45

I loved the first Ghostbusters and this looks funny as fxxx Can't wait to see it 😊

femfortheday · 04/03/2016 19:18

Bit disappointed by it so far, especially the gross stereotypes mentioned in the article. But I will probably go and see it anyway, hopefully it's better than it looks.

YriasArgente · 05/03/2016 16:23

It looks to me a little as though they've given everything away in the trailer- I'll see it, loved he originals. My concern is aren't there any new stories to tell? This is a huge risk, they must know it might get panned because of comparison to the originals which might make it harder for films with a mainly female cast to get made. Agree with the racial concerns too, it was my very first thought. Also glad about the plus sized women though, we need more normal looking women on our screens!

Original poster

BeyondTellsEveryoneRealFacts · 05/03/2016 16:39

It looks very girly to me. I cant quantify that, its just a vague "chick-flick" feel. Like "oh we've changed them to female, now they'd better go shopping and do their make up. And giggle coquettishly."

OP posts:

CheeseHamwich · 05/03/2016 18:43

I was also underwhelmed by the trailer. It just wasn't cut in a suspenseful way and the whole thing with 3 white science ladies + 1 black street smart lady...
I hope it's good though or people will blame it on the all-female cast...

whattodowiththepoo · 05/03/2016 21:53

Not a good trailer, films looks slow with flat gags and not quite ok CGI.

ISaySteadyOn · 06/03/2016 07:27

I've done a little bit of reading on this and apparently Patty actually has a PhD in municipal history so she is not uneducated. Hope that is a little reassuring.
Also, apparently all trailers for Paul Feig's films are a bit meh, but he did Bridesmaids and Spy which were both sleeper hits so I am reserving most of my judgment until I see the film.

neonrainbow · 12/03/2016 17:18

I thought the trailer showed the insertion of the "stupid black woman who isn't smart enough to be a scientist" was really unnecessary. Why couldn't they just have one of the scientists be cast as a black woman and leave that line out? Or have the street smart woman be white and have two ethnic minority scientists and one white? I think this is a race issue as well as a feminist issue. Perhaps more so a race issue.

DioneTheDiabolist · 13/07/2016 23:13

Just watched it. It's AWESOME!

DioneTheDiabolist · 13/07/2016 23:49

Does it pass the Bechdel Test? It's a movie about women with weapons kicking ghost ass. There are men and they are mentioned, but they are not the focus of this movie. There is no love interest. There is no kissing. It's fast and funny and stylish. Apparently they used some of the sexist responses to the trailer in the scene where they check their You Tube videos.

I loved original Ghostbusters, but I think that this is better.

AuntDotsie · 14/07/2016 15:35

I too have seen it. Not girly at all, shopping only hardware-related and no make-up apart from slime. Bloody marvellous, it was, if a little slow to get going. I may have developed a teensy crush on Kate McKinnon

Chris Thor did steal a fair few scenes, to be fair. But the total role reversal, the pretty-but-daft secretary/receptionist and possession tropes, was fascinating and fun.

'Stripper pole!' - HAH!

JedRambosteen · 16/07/2016 18:22

Saw it today with my 2 sons and DS1's friend. We all properly LOLed in the film, the boys were helpless with laughter in a few places. When we came out DS2 said he much preferred it to the original one because the women were much funnier than the men. They also absolutely loved the Kate McKinnon character and all her crazy tech. I have slight girl crush on her too.

JedRambosteen · 16/07/2016 18:24

Chris Thor had some good moves in the dance routine during the final credits. I also thought he was an excellent sport for sending himself up as a pretty boy airhead, but I slightly ground my teeth when he got one of those "AND Chris Hemsworth" credits after the 4 women at the end. He didn't do all that much in the film, but I guess he's either got a really shrewd agent or they really wanted him for the film & he wangled it.

BeyondBeyondBeyondBeyondBeyond · 17/07/2016 16:57

Oo, good reviews! Might see if I can DL it tonight :)

JacquettaWoodville · 17/07/2016 20:09

Does it pass the reverse Bechdel, I wonder?!

DioneTheDiabolist · 18/07/2016 02:00

Go see it and find out.

JedRambosteen · 18/07/2016 06:23

Yep, the studio will be watching the bottom line. If funny women make money, they'll be more inclined to finance more women-led films.

Flip

1 2